The careers of many child stars are often short-lived when the attention fades; and to continue to stay at the top of their field requires more and more work, often with fewer incentives, many never reach the next level of performance. Not so with Cody Kilby, perhaps because his early success was due to his natural genius being matched only by equal parts determination and discipline.
By now, the boy-wonder beginnings of star instrumentalist Cody Kilby are well-known to fans of bluegrass and acoustic music; a true prodigy, he picked up his dad’s banjo at age 8 and by the time he was 11, he had a Gibson banjo endorsement. He started playing his mom’s guitar at 10, and by 17, he was the National Flatpicking Champion. He added mandolin and Dobro around age 13, and at 16, recorded Just Me, showcasing his mastery of all the instruments on the recording. He was at home in the spotlight, competing under the pressure of many prestigious contests, performing at the Grand Ole Opry and on television shows like TNN’s Crook and Chase and Dick Clark’s Prime Time Country. But Cody’s early success didn’t spoil him for the hard work and dedication of the life of a professional musician, it only fueled his passion for exploring the endless potential of music, and more and more, he found his dreams were inextricably bound to the creative process of playing.
